President Bola Tinubu has authorized the purchase of additional military equipment to boost operations against terrorists, bandits, and other criminals across the country.
The President’s decision is coming alongside a strategic move by the nation’s Security Chiefs to recalibrate tactics in response to a surge of attacks in the northeast.
President Tinubu held a closed-door meeting on Thursday with the service chiefs at the Presidential Villa who reviewed nationwide threats, particularly renewed assaults on military outposts in Borno State.
Minister of Defence General (rtd) Christopher Musa (rtd) told State House Correspondents that the Armed Forces have already adopted an approach to counter evolving insurgent tactics.
“The meeting was essentially for the services to brief Mr. President on the current situation on the ground,” he said.
“You know there have been a series of attacks and the security forces have risen to the occasion.”
Among those who attended the meeting were the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu; the Chief of Defence Staff, General Olufemi Oluyede; the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu; the Chief of Naval Staff, Idi Abbas; and the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Sunday Kelvin Aneke.
Also present were Lieutenant General Emmanuel Undiandeye, Chief of Defence Intelligence, Oluwatosin Ajayi, Director General of the State Security Service; Mohammed Mohammed, Director General of the National Intelligence Agency; and Tunji Disu, the Inspector General of Police.
General Musa sought to correct what he called misleading media narratives about recent setbacks.
NewsQuest reports that insurgents had launched bold strikes, he acknowledged, but Nigerian troops had inflicted heavy losses, killing commanders and reclaiming key sites.
“The terrorists and bandits are taking more casualties. Their commanders are being killed,” he said.
The Minister conceded losses among Nigerian forces, calling the fallen “courageous officers and men” who had paid the ultimate price.
He however described the attacks as a predictable escalation in an ongoing war, often intensified during Ramadan by ideological calls for violence.
“It’s war, and you know war comes in and out,” he said.
President Tinubu’s approval of new hardware and logistics, General Musa added, would tip the balance.
“Mr. President has promised more equipment for us to be able to protect the country against the war, and we are sure of victory,” he said.
In recent days, he noted, troops had seized insurgent assets and neutralized leaders.
General Musa urged Nigerians to stay confident in the security apparatus.
“Our appeal to Nigerians is not to get tired or discouraged,” he said.
- “All members of the security forces are here to assure Nigerians and Mr. President that we are on track and we will succeed.”
